UMC WOMEN’S BASKETBALL STRUGGLES IN LOSS AT NORTHERN STATE

The University of Minnesota Crookston Golden Eagle Women’s Basketball team was outscored 29-15 in the first quarter and couldn’t recover in an 85-54 loss to the Northern State Wolves in a Northern Sun Conference game in Aberdeen, South Dakota.

FIRST QUARTER –
Northern State had a solid start to the game as they scored the first seven points. UMC responded with a basket from Rayna Klejeski (Fresh. Barnum) and two free throws from Riley Jenkins (Fresh. Galesburg, Ill) to get within a 7-4 deficit two minutes into the game. Northern State responded with an 11-1 run to take an 18-5 lead halfway through the opening quarter. The teams played even the rest of the quarter, and Northern State took a 29-15 lead.

SECOND QUARTER –
Northern State had another great start to a quarter as they scored the first seven points to take a 36-15 lead. UMC’s Nicole Hernandez (Jr. Oak Creek, Wis) stopped the run with a basket. The teams played even for the next four minutes, and Northern State led 42-23 with 4:03 left in the half. Both offenses struggled in the final four minutes of the half, and UMC didn’t score a point the rest of the way, and Northern State took a 46-23 lead into halftime.

THIRD QUARTER –
UMC started the second half with a basket from Olivia Walsh (Fresh. Austin, MN) before Northern State responded with a 10-1 run to build a 56-26 lead with 6:04 left in the quarter. UMC’s Emma Miller (Soph. St. Michael) scored the next four points before Northern State scored seven straight points for a 63-30 lead. UMC chipped away at the 33-point deficit and got within a 68-40 deficit with a 5-0 run to end the quarter, including four points from Hope Dudycha, and Northern State took a 68-40 lead into the final quarter.

FOURTH QUARTER –
Northern State scored the first basket of the quarter before UMC responded with a 7-0 run with baskets from Hernandez and Miller, and a three-pointer from Ainsley McLain (Fresh. Grafton, ND) to get within a 70-47 deficit with 7:55 remaining in the game. UMC trailed 80-54 with 3:51 left and didn’t score the rest of the game as Northern State cruised to the 85-54 victory.

UMC drops to 9-15 overall and 6-12 in NSIC play. Northern State improves to 17-7 overall and 13-5 in the NSIC.